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A song of David.

103 My soul, praise the Lord!
    Every part of me, praise his holy name!
My soul, praise the Lord
    and never forget how kind he is!
He forgives all our sins
    and heals all our sicknesses.
He saves us from the grave,
    and he gives us love and compassion.
He gives us plenty of good things.
    He makes us young again,
    like an eagle that grows new feathers.
The Lord does what is fair.
    He brings justice to all who have been hurt by others.
He taught his laws to Moses.
    He let Israel see the powerful things he can do.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
    He is patient and full of love.
He does not always criticize.
    He does not stay angry with us forever.
10 We sinned against him,
    but he didn’t give us the punishment we deserved.
11 His love for his followers is
    as high above us as heaven is above the earth.
12 And he has taken our sins
    as far away from us as the east is from the west.
13 The Lord is as kind to his followers
    as a father is to his children.
14 He knows all about us.
    He knows we are made from dust.
15 He knows our lives are short, that they are like grass.
    He knows we are like a little wildflower that grows so quickly,
16 but when the hot wind blows, it dies.
    Soon, you cannot even see where the flower was.
17 But the Lord has always loved his followers,
    and he will continue to love them forever and ever!
    He will be good to all their descendants,
18 to those who are faithful to his agreement
    and who remember to obey his commands.
19 The Lord set his throne up in heaven,
    and he rules over everything.
20 Angels, praise the Lord!
    You angels are the powerful soldiers who obey his commands.
    You listen to him and obey his commands.
21 Praise the Lord, all his armies.[a]
    You are his servants,
    and you do what he wants.
22 Everything the Lord has made should praise him
    throughout the world that he rules!
My soul, praise the Lord!

104 My soul, praise the Lord!
    Lord my God, you are very great!
You are clothed with glory and honor.
    You wear light like a robe.
You spread out the skies like a curtain.
    You built your home above them.[b]
You use the thick clouds like a chariot
    and ride across the sky on the wings of the wind.
You make the winds your messengers
    and flames of fire your servants.[c]
You built the earth on its foundations,
    so it can never be moved.
You covered it with water like a blanket.
    The water covered even the mountains.
But you gave the command, and the water turned back.
    You shouted at the water, and it rushed away.
The water flowed down from the mountains into the valleys,
    to the places you made for it.
You set the limits for the seas,
    and the water will never again rise to cover the earth.

10 Lord, you cause water to flow from springs into the streams
    that flow down between the mountains.
11 The streams provide water for all the wild animals.
    Even the wild donkeys come there to drink.
12 Wild birds come to live by the pools;
    they sing in the branches of nearby trees.
13 You send rain down on the mountains.
    The earth gets everything it needs from what you have made.
14 You make the grass grow to feed the animals.
    You provide plants for the crops we grow—
    the plants that give us food from the earth.
15 You give us the wine that makes us happy,
    the oil that makes our skin soft,[d]
    and the food that makes us strong.

16 The great cedar trees of Lebanon belong to the Lord.
    He planted them and gives them the water they need.
17 That’s where the birds make their nests,
    and the storks live in the fir trees.
18 The high mountains are a home for wild goats.
    The large rocks are hiding places for rock badgers.

19 Lord, you made the moon to show us when the festivals begin.
    And the sun always knows when to set.
20 You made darkness to be the night—
    the time when wild animals come out and roam around.
21 Lions roar as they attack,
    as if they are asking God for the food he gives them.
22 When the sun rises, they leave
    and go back to their dens to rest.
23 Then people go out to do their work,
    and they work until evening.

24 Lord, you created so many things!
    With your wisdom you made them all.
    The earth is full of the living things you made.
25 Look at the ocean, so big and wide!
    It is filled with all kinds of sea life.
    There are creatures large and small—too many to count!
26 Ships sail over the ocean,
    and playing there is Leviathan,[e]
    the great sea creature you made.

27 Lord, all living things depend on you.
    You give them food at the right time.
28 You give it, and they eat it.
    They are filled with good food from your open hands.
29 When you turn away from them,
    they become frightened.
When you take away their breath,[f]
    they die, and their bodies return to the dust.
30 But when you send out your life-giving breath,[g]
    things come alive, and the world is like new again!

31 May the Lord’s glory continue forever!
    May the Lord enjoy what he made.
32 He just looks at the earth, and it trembles.
    He just touches the mountains, and smoke rises from them.

33 I will sing to the Lord for the rest of my life.
    I will sing praises to my God as long as I live.
34 May my words be pleasing to him.
    The Lord is the one who makes me happy.
35 I wish sinners would disappear from the earth.
    I wish the wicked would be gone forever.

My soul, praise the Lord!
    Praise the Lord!

105 Give thanks to the Lord and call out to him!
    Tell the nations what he has done!
Sing to him; sing praises to him.
    Tell about the amazing things he has done.
Be proud of his holy name.
    You followers of the Lord, be happy!
Depend on the Lord for strength.
    Always go to him for help.
Remember the amazing things he has done.
    Remember his miracles and his fair decisions.
You belong to the family of his servant Abraham.
    You are descendants of Jacob, the people God chose.
The Lord is our God.
    He rules the whole world.
He will remember his agreement forever.
    He will always keep the promises he made to his people.
He will keep the agreement he made with Abraham
    and the promise he made to Isaac.
10 He gave it as a law to Jacob.
    He gave it to Israel as an agreement that will last forever!
11 He said, “I will give you the land of Canaan.
    It will be your very own.”
12 At the time God said this, there were only a few of his people,
    and they were strangers there.
13 They traveled around from nation to nation,
    from one kingdom to another.
14 But the Lord did not let anyone mistreat them.
    He warned kings not to harm them.
15 He said, “Don’t hurt my chosen people.
    Don’t harm my prophets.”
16 He caused a famine in that country,
    and people did not have enough food.
17 But he sent a man named Joseph to go ahead of them.
    Joseph was sold like a slave.
18 They tied a rope around his feet
    and put an iron ring around his neck.
19 Joseph was a slave until what he said had really happened.
    The Lord’s message proved that Joseph was right.
20 So the king of Egypt set him free.
    That nation’s leader let him out of jail.
21 He put Joseph in charge of his house.
    Joseph took care of everything the king owned.
22 Joseph gave instructions to the other leaders.
    He taught the older men.
23 Then Israel came to Egypt.
    Jacob lived there in Ham’s country.[h]
24 Jacob’s family became very large
    and more powerful than their enemies.
25 So the Egyptians began to hate his people.
    They made plans against his servants.
26 So the Lord sent Moses, his servant,
    and Aaron, his chosen priest.
27 He used Moses and Aaron
    to do many miracles in Ham’s country.
28 He sent darkness to cover their land,
    but the Egyptians did not listen to him.
29 So he changed the water into blood,
    and all their fish died.
30 Their country was filled with frogs,
    even in the king’s bedroom.
31 The Lord gave the command,
    and the flies and gnats came.
    They were everywhere!
32 He made the rain become hail.
    Lightning struck throughout their land.
33 He destroyed their vines and fig trees.
    He destroyed every tree in their country.
34 He gave the command, and the locusts and grasshoppers came.
    There were too many to count!
35 They ate all the plants in the country,
    including all the crops in their fields.
36 Then the Lord killed every firstborn in their country.
    He killed their oldest sons.
37 He led his people out of Egypt.
    They were carrying gold and silver,
    and none of them stumbled or fell behind.
38 Egypt was happy to see his people go,
    because they were afraid of them.
39 The Lord spread out his cloud like a blanket.
    He used his column of fire to give his people light at night.
40 They asked for food, and he sent them quail.
    He also gave them plenty of bread from heaven.
41 He split the rock, and water came bubbling out.
    A river began flowing in the desert!

42 The Lord remembered his holy promise
    that he had made to his servant Abraham.
43 He brought his people out of Egypt.
    They came out rejoicing and singing their happy songs!
44 Then he gave his people the lands of other nations.
    His people got what others had worked for.
45 He did this so that his people would obey his laws
    and follow his teachings.

Praise the Lord!

106 Praise the Lord!
Give thanks to the Lord because he is good!
    His faithful love will last forever!
No one can describe how great the Lord really is.
    No one can praise him enough.
Those who obey his commands are happy.
    They do good things all the time.

Lord, remember me when you show kindness to your people.
    Remember to save me too!
Let me share in the good things
    that you do for your chosen people.
Let me rejoice with your nation.
    Let me join with your people in praise.

We sinned just as our ancestors did.
    We were wrong; we did bad things!
Lord, our ancestors learned nothing
    from the miracles you did in Egypt.
They forgot your kindness at the Red Sea
    and rebelled against you.

But the Lord saved our ancestors for the honor of his name.
    He saved them to show his great power.
He gave the command, and the Red Sea became dry.
    He led them through the deep sea on land as dry as the desert.
10 He saved our ancestors
    and rescued them from their enemies.
11 He covered their enemies with the sea.
    Not one of them escaped!

12 Then our ancestors believed what he had said.
    They sang praises to him.
13 But they quickly forgot about what he did.
    They did not listen to his advice.
14 They became hungry in the desert,
    and they tested him in the wilderness.
15 He gave them what they asked for,
    but he also gave them a terrible disease.
16 The people became jealous of Moses.
    They became jealous of Aaron, the Lord’s holy priest.
17 The ground opened up and swallowed Dathan.
    Then the ground closed up and covered Abiram’s group.
18 Then a fire burned that mob of people.
    It burned those wicked people.
19 The people made a golden calf at Mount Horeb.
    They worshiped a statue!
20 They traded their glorious God
    for a statue of a grass-eating bull!
21 They forgot all about God, the one who saved them,
    the one who did the miracles in Egypt.
22 He did amazing things there in Ham’s country[i]!
    He did awesome things at the Red Sea!

23 God wanted to destroy those people,
    but Moses, the leader he chose, stood in the way.
God was very angry, but Moses begged him to stop,
    so God did not destroy the people.[j]

24 But then they refused to go into the wonderful land of Canaan.
    They did not believe that God would help them defeat the people there.
25 Our ancestors complained in their tents
    and refused to obey the Lord.
26 So he swore that they would die
    in the desert.
27 He promised to scatter them among the nations
    and to let other people defeat their descendants.

28 At Baal Peor they joined in worshiping Baal
    and ate sacrifices to honor the dead.[k]
29 The Lord became angry with his people,
    so he made them sick.
30 But Phinehas prayed[l] to God,
    and God stopped the sickness.
31 He considered what Phinehas did a good work,
    and it will be remembered forever and ever.

32 At Meribah the people made the Lord angry
    and created trouble for Moses.
33 They upset Moses,
    and he spoke without stopping to think.

34 The Lord told the people to destroy the other nations living in Canaan.
    But the Israelites did not obey him.
35 They mixed with the other people
    and did what those people were doing.
36 They began worshiping the false gods those people worshiped.
    And their idols became a trap.
37 They even offered their own children
    as sacrifices to demons.
38 They killed their innocent sons and daughters
    and offered them to the false gods of Canaan.
    So the land was polluted with the sin of murder.
39 They were unfaithful to him,
    and they became dirty with the sins of other nations.
40 So the Lord became angry with his people.
    He rejected those who belonged to him.
41 He gave his people to other nations
    and let their enemies rule over them.
42 Their enemies controlled them
    and made life hard for them.
43 He saved his people many times,
    but they turned against him and did what they wanted to do.
    His people did many bad things.
44 But whenever they were in trouble,
    he listened to their prayers.
45 He always remembered his agreement,
    and because of his faithful love, he comforted them.
46 Other nations took them as prisoners,
    but the Lord caused them to be kind to his people.
47 Lord our God, save us!
    Bring us back together from those nations.
Then we will give thanks to your holy name
    and joyfully praise you.
48 Praise the Lord, the God of Israel!
    He always was and will always be worthy of praise.
Let all the people say, “Amen!”

Praise the Lord!

Book 5

(Psalms 107-150)

107 Praise the Lord, because he is good!
    His faithful love will last forever!
Everyone the Lord has saved should repeat that word of thanks.
    Praise him, all who have been rescued from the enemy.
He gathered his people together from many different countries.
    He brought them from east and west, north and south.[m]

Some of them wandered in the dry desert.
    They were looking for a place to live,
    but they could not find a city.
They were hungry and thirsty
    and growing weak.
Then they called to the Lord for help,
    and he saved them from their troubles.
He led them straight to the city where they would live.
Thank the Lord for his faithful love
    and for the amazing things he does for people.
He satisfies those who are thirsty.
    He fills those who are hungry with good things.

10 Some of God’s people were prisoners,
    locked behind bars in dark prisons.
11 That was because they had fought against what God said.
    They refused to listen to the advice of God Most High.
12 God made life hard for those people
    because of what they did.
They stumbled and fell,
    and there was no one to help them.
13 They were in trouble, so they called to the Lord for help,
    and he saved them from their troubles.
14 He took them out of their dark prisons.
    He broke the ropes that held them.
15 Thank the Lord for his faithful love
    and for the amazing things he does for people.
16 He breaks down their bronze gates.
    He shatters their iron bars.

17 Some people became fools and turned against God,
    and they suffered for the evil they did.
18 They became so sick that they refused to eat,
    so they almost died.
19 They were in trouble, so they called to the Lord for help,
    and he saved them from their troubles.
20 He gave the command and healed them,
    so they were saved from the grave.
21 Thank the Lord for his faithful love
    and for the amazing things he does for people.
22 Offer sacrifices of thanks to him.
    Sing with joy about all that he has done.

23 Some sailed the sea in ships.
    Their work carried them across the water.
24 They saw what the Lord can do.
    They saw the amazing things he did at sea.
25 He gave the command, and a strong wind began to blow.
    The waves became higher and higher.
26 The waves lifted them high into the sky
    and dropped them into the deep sea.
    The storm was so dangerous that the men lost their courage.
27 They were stumbling and falling like someone who is drunk.
    Their skill as sailors was useless.
28 They were in trouble, so they called to the Lord for help,
    and he saved them from their troubles.
29 He stopped the storm
    and calmed the waves.
30 The sailors were happy that the sea became calm,
    and he led them safely to where they wanted to go.
31 Thank the Lord for his faithful love
    and for the amazing things he does for people.
32 Praise God in the great assembly.
    Praise him when the older leaders meet together.

33 He changed rivers into a desert.
    He stopped springs from flowing.
34 He made the fertile land become salty,
    because the people living there did such evil things.
35 He changed the desert into a land with pools of water.
    He caused springs to flow from dry ground.
36 He led the hungry to that good land,
    and they built a city to live in.
37 They planted seeds in their fields and grapes in their vineyards,
    and they had a good harvest.
38 God blessed them with many children
    and plenty of animals.
39 But because of disaster and troubles,
    their families became small and weak.
40 God shames even great leaders
    and makes them wander through empty deserts.
41 But he rescues the poor from their misery.
    He makes their families large like flocks of sheep.
42 Good people see this and are happy.
    But the wicked see it and don’t know what to say.
43 Whoever is wise will remember these things
    and begin to understand the Lord’s faithful love.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 103:21 armies This word can mean “armies,” “angels,” or the “stars and planets.” This word is part of the name translated “Lord All-Powerful.” It shows that God is in control of all the powers in the universe.
  2. Psalm 104:3 above them Literally, “on the water above.” This is like the picture of the world in Gen. 1. There the sky was like a bowl turned upside down on the earth. There was water below the bowl and water above it.
  3. Psalm 104:4 Or “You make your angels spirits and your servants flames of fire.” This may be a wordplay referring to the Cherub and Seraph angels.
  4. Psalm 104:15 makes our skin soft Literally, “makes our face shine.” This can also mean “makes us happy.”
  5. Psalm 104:26 Leviathan This might mean any large sea animal, like a whale. But it probably means “the sea monster,” the “Dragon,” or “Rahab.” This creature represents the great power of the ocean, the power that God controls.
  6. Psalm 104:29 breath Or “spirit.”
  7. Psalm 104:30 life-giving breath Or “Spirit.”
  8. Psalm 105:23 Ham’s country Or “Egypt.” The Egyptians were Ham’s descendants. See Gen. 10:6-20.
  9. Psalm 106:22 Ham’s country Or “Egypt.” The Egyptians were Ham’s descendants. See Gen. 10:6-20.
  10. Psalm 106:23 Or “God said he would destroy them. But Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach and repelled his anger from destroying.” This compares Moses to a soldier standing at a break in a wall defending the city against enemy soldiers.
  11. Psalm 106:28 the dead This might refer to “lifeless gods” or to dead friends or relatives honored with meals eaten at their graves.
  12. Psalm 106:30 prayed Or “intervened,” or “judged.” Phinehas not only prayed to God, but he also did something to stop the people from doing these sins. See Num. 25:1-16.
  13. Psalm 107:3 south Or “the Sea.” This might refer to all the coastal areas around the Mediterranean Sea.

Psalm 103

Of David.

Praise the Lord,(A) my soul;(B)
    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.(C)
Praise the Lord,(D) my soul,
    and forget not(E) all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins(F)
    and heals(G) all your diseases,
who redeems your life(H) from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,(I)
who satisfies(J) your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed(K) like the eagle’s.(L)

The Lord works righteousness(M)
    and justice for all the oppressed.(N)

He made known(O) his ways(P) to Moses,
    his deeds(Q) to the people of Israel:
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,(R)
    slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
    nor will he harbor his anger forever;(S)
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve(T)
    or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his love(U) for those who fear him;(V)
12 as far as the east is from the west,
    so far has he removed our transgressions(W) from us.

13 As a father has compassion(X) on his children,
    so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed,(Y)
    he remembers that we are dust.(Z)
15 The life of mortals is like grass,(AA)
    they flourish like a flower(AB) of the field;
16 the wind blows(AC) over it and it is gone,
    and its place(AD) remembers it no more.
17 But from everlasting to everlasting
    the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
    and his righteousness with their children’s children(AE)
18 with those who keep his covenant(AF)
    and remember(AG) to obey his precepts.(AH)

19 The Lord has established his throne(AI) in heaven,
    and his kingdom rules(AJ) over all.

20 Praise the Lord,(AK) you his angels,(AL)
    you mighty ones(AM) who do his bidding,(AN)
    who obey his word.
21 Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,(AO)
    you his servants(AP) who do his will.
22 Praise the Lord, all his works(AQ)
    everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the Lord, my soul.(AR)

Psalm 104

Praise the Lord, my soul.(AS)

Lord my God, you are very great;
    you are clothed with splendor and majesty.(AT)

The Lord wraps(AU) himself in light(AV) as with a garment;
    he stretches(AW) out the heavens(AX) like a tent(AY)
    and lays the beams(AZ) of his upper chambers on their waters.(BA)
He makes the clouds(BB) his chariot(BC)
    and rides on the wings of the wind.(BD)
He makes winds his messengers,[a](BE)
    flames of fire(BF) his servants.

He set the earth(BG) on its foundations;(BH)
    it can never be moved.
You covered it(BI) with the watery depths(BJ) as with a garment;
    the waters stood(BK) above the mountains.
But at your rebuke(BL) the waters fled,
    at the sound of your thunder(BM) they took to flight;
they flowed over the mountains,
    they went down into the valleys,
    to the place you assigned(BN) for them.
You set a boundary(BO) they cannot cross;
    never again will they cover the earth.

10 He makes springs(BP) pour water into the ravines;
    it flows between the mountains.
11 They give water(BQ) to all the beasts of the field;
    the wild donkeys(BR) quench their thirst.
12 The birds of the sky(BS) nest by the waters;
    they sing among the branches.(BT)
13 He waters the mountains(BU) from his upper chambers;(BV)
    the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work.(BW)
14 He makes grass grow(BX) for the cattle,
    and plants for people to cultivate—
    bringing forth food(BY) from the earth:
15 wine(BZ) that gladdens human hearts,
    oil(CA) to make their faces shine,
    and bread that sustains(CB) their hearts.
16 The trees of the Lord(CC) are well watered,
    the cedars of Lebanon(CD) that he planted.
17 There the birds(CE) make their nests;
    the stork has its home in the junipers.
18 The high mountains belong to the wild goats;(CF)
    the crags are a refuge for the hyrax.(CG)

19 He made the moon to mark the seasons,(CH)
    and the sun(CI) knows when to go down.
20 You bring darkness,(CJ) it becomes night,(CK)
    and all the beasts of the forest(CL) prowl.
21 The lions roar for their prey(CM)
    and seek their food from God.(CN)
22 The sun rises, and they steal away;
    they return and lie down in their dens.(CO)
23 Then people go out to their work,(CP)
    to their labor until evening.(CQ)

24 How many are your works,(CR) Lord!
    In wisdom you made(CS) them all;
    the earth is full of your creatures.(CT)
25 There is the sea,(CU) vast and spacious,
    teeming with creatures beyond number—
    living things both large and small.(CV)
26 There the ships(CW) go to and fro,
    and Leviathan,(CX) which you formed to frolic(CY) there.(CZ)

27 All creatures look to you
    to give them their food(DA) at the proper time.
28 When you give it to them,
    they gather it up;
when you open your hand,
    they are satisfied(DB) with good things.
29 When you hide your face,(DC)
    they are terrified;
when you take away their breath,
    they die and return to the dust.(DD)
30 When you send your Spirit,(DE)
    they are created,
    and you renew the face of the ground.

31 May the glory of the Lord(DF) endure forever;
    may the Lord rejoice in his works(DG)
32 he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,(DH)
    who touches the mountains,(DI) and they smoke.(DJ)

33 I will sing(DK) to the Lord all my life;
    I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,
    as I rejoice(DL) in the Lord.
35 But may sinners vanish(DM) from the earth
    and the wicked be no more.(DN)

Praise the Lord, my soul.

Praise the Lord.[b](DO)

Psalm 105(DP)

Give praise to the Lord,(DQ) proclaim his name;(DR)
    make known among the nations what he has done.
Sing to him,(DS) sing praise to him;(DT)
    tell of all his wonderful acts.(DU)
Glory in his holy name;(DV)
    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
Look to the Lord and his strength;
    seek his face(DW) always.

Remember the wonders(DX) he has done,
    his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,(DY)
you his servants, the descendants of Abraham,(DZ)
    his chosen(EA) ones, the children of Jacob.
He is the Lord our God;
    his judgments are in all the earth.

He remembers his covenant(EB) forever,
    the promise he made, for a thousand generations,
the covenant he made with Abraham,(EC)
    the oath he swore to Isaac.
10 He confirmed it(ED) to Jacob as a decree,
    to Israel as an everlasting covenant:(EE)
11 “To you I will give the land of Canaan(EF)
    as the portion you will inherit.”(EG)

12 When they were but few in number,(EH)
    few indeed, and strangers in it,(EI)
13 they wandered from nation to nation,(EJ)
    from one kingdom to another.
14 He allowed no one to oppress(EK) them;
    for their sake he rebuked kings:(EL)
15 “Do not touch(EM) my anointed ones;
    do my prophets(EN) no harm.”

16 He called down famine(EO) on the land
    and destroyed all their supplies of food;
17 and he sent a man before them—
    Joseph, sold as a slave.(EP)
18 They bruised his feet with shackles,(EQ)
    his neck was put in irons,
19 till what he foretold(ER) came to pass,
    till the word(ES) of the Lord proved him true.
20 The king sent and released him,
    the ruler of peoples set him free.(ET)
21 He made him master of his household,
    ruler over all he possessed,
22 to instruct his princes(EU) as he pleased
    and teach his elders wisdom.(EV)

23 Then Israel entered Egypt;(EW)
    Jacob resided(EX) as a foreigner in the land of Ham.(EY)
24 The Lord made his people very fruitful;
    he made them too numerous(EZ) for their foes,
25 whose hearts he turned(FA) to hate his people,
    to conspire(FB) against his servants.
26 He sent Moses(FC) his servant,
    and Aaron,(FD) whom he had chosen.(FE)
27 They performed(FF) his signs(FG) among them,
    his wonders(FH) in the land of Ham.
28 He sent darkness(FI) and made the land dark—
    for had they not rebelled against(FJ) his words?
29 He turned their waters into blood,(FK)
    causing their fish to die.(FL)
30 Their land teemed with frogs,(FM)
    which went up into the bedrooms of their rulers.
31 He spoke,(FN) and there came swarms of flies,(FO)
    and gnats(FP) throughout their country.
32 He turned their rain into hail,(FQ)
    with lightning throughout their land;
33 he struck down their vines(FR) and fig trees(FS)
    and shattered the trees of their country.
34 He spoke,(FT) and the locusts came,(FU)
    grasshoppers(FV) without number;(FW)
35 they ate up every green thing in their land,
    ate up the produce of their soil.
36 Then he struck down all the firstborn(FX) in their land,
    the firstfruits of all their manhood.
37 He brought out Israel, laden with silver and gold,(FY)
    and from among their tribes no one faltered.
38 Egypt was glad when they left,
    because dread of Israel(FZ) had fallen on them.

39 He spread out a cloud(GA) as a covering,
    and a fire to give light at night.(GB)
40 They asked,(GC) and he brought them quail;(GD)
    he fed them well with the bread of heaven.(GE)
41 He opened the rock,(GF) and water gushed out;
    it flowed like a river in the desert.

42 For he remembered his holy promise(GG)
    given to his servant Abraham.
43 He brought out his people with rejoicing,(GH)
    his chosen ones with shouts of joy;
44 he gave them the lands of the nations,(GI)
    and they fell heir to what others had toiled(GJ) for—
45 that they might keep his precepts
    and observe his laws.(GK)

Praise the Lord.[c](GL)

Psalm 106(GM)

Praise the Lord.[d](GN)

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;(GO)
    his love endures forever.(GP)

Who can proclaim the mighty acts(GQ) of the Lord
    or fully declare his praise?
Blessed are those who act justly,(GR)
    who always do what is right.(GS)

Remember me,(GT) Lord, when you show favor(GU) to your people,
    come to my aid(GV) when you save them,
that I may enjoy the prosperity(GW) of your chosen ones,(GX)
    that I may share in the joy(GY) of your nation
    and join your inheritance(GZ) in giving praise.

We have sinned,(HA) even as our ancestors(HB) did;
    we have done wrong and acted wickedly.(HC)
When our ancestors were in Egypt,
    they gave no thought(HD) to your miracles;
they did not remember(HE) your many kindnesses,
    and they rebelled by the sea,(HF) the Red Sea.[e]
Yet he saved them(HG) for his name’s sake,(HH)
    to make his mighty power(HI) known.
He rebuked(HJ) the Red Sea, and it dried up;(HK)
    he led them through(HL) the depths as through a desert.
10 He saved them(HM) from the hand of the foe;(HN)
    from the hand of the enemy he redeemed them.(HO)
11 The waters covered(HP) their adversaries;
    not one of them survived.
12 Then they believed his promises
    and sang his praise.(HQ)

13 But they soon forgot(HR) what he had done
    and did not wait for his plan to unfold.(HS)
14 In the desert(HT) they gave in to their craving;
    in the wilderness(HU) they put God to the test.(HV)
15 So he gave them(HW) what they asked for,
    but sent a wasting disease(HX) among them.

16 In the camp they grew envious(HY) of Moses
    and of Aaron, who was consecrated to the Lord.
17 The earth opened(HZ) up and swallowed Dathan;(IA)
    it buried the company of Abiram.(IB)
18 Fire blazed(IC) among their followers;
    a flame consumed the wicked.
19 At Horeb they made a calf(ID)
    and worshiped an idol cast from metal.
20 They exchanged their glorious God(IE)
    for an image of a bull, which eats grass.
21 They forgot the God(IF) who saved them,
    who had done great things(IG) in Egypt,
22 miracles in the land of Ham(IH)
    and awesome deeds(II) by the Red Sea.
23 So he said he would destroy(IJ) them—
    had not Moses, his chosen one,
stood in the breach(IK) before him
    to keep his wrath from destroying them.

24 Then they despised(IL) the pleasant land;(IM)
    they did not believe(IN) his promise.
25 They grumbled(IO) in their tents
    and did not obey the Lord.
26 So he swore(IP) to them with uplifted hand
    that he would make them fall in the wilderness,(IQ)
27 make their descendants fall among the nations
    and scatter(IR) them throughout the lands.

28 They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor(IS)
    and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods;
29 they aroused the Lord’s anger(IT) by their wicked deeds,(IU)
    and a plague(IV) broke out among them.
30 But Phinehas(IW) stood up and intervened,
    and the plague was checked.(IX)
31 This was credited to him(IY) as righteousness
    for endless generations(IZ) to come.
32 By the waters of Meribah(JA) they angered the Lord,
    and trouble came to Moses because of them;
33 for they rebelled(JB) against the Spirit(JC) of God,
    and rash words came from Moses’ lips.[f](JD)

34 They did not destroy(JE) the peoples
    as the Lord had commanded(JF) them,
35 but they mingled(JG) with the nations
    and adopted their customs.
36 They worshiped their idols,(JH)
    which became a snare(JI) to them.
37 They sacrificed their sons(JJ)
    and their daughters to false gods.(JK)
38 They shed innocent blood,
    the blood of their sons(JL) and daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,
    and the land was desecrated by their blood.
39 They defiled themselves(JM) by what they did;
    by their deeds they prostituted(JN) themselves.

40 Therefore the Lord was angry(JO) with his people
    and abhorred his inheritance.(JP)
41 He gave them into the hands(JQ) of the nations,
    and their foes ruled over them.
42 Their enemies oppressed(JR) them
    and subjected them to their power.
43 Many times he delivered them,(JS)
    but they were bent on rebellion(JT)
    and they wasted away in their sin.
44 Yet he took note of their distress
    when he heard their cry;(JU)
45 for their sake he remembered his covenant(JV)
    and out of his great love(JW) he relented.(JX)
46 He caused all who held them captive
    to show them mercy.(JY)

47 Save us,(JZ) Lord our God,
    and gather us(KA) from the nations,
that we may give thanks(KB) to your holy name(KC)
    and glory in your praise.

48 Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting.

Let all the people say, “Amen!”(KD)

Praise the Lord.

BOOK V

Psalms 107–150

Psalm 107

Give thanks to the Lord,(KE) for he is good;(KF)
    his love endures forever.

Let the redeemed(KG) of the Lord tell their story—
    those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
those he gathered(KH) from the lands,
    from east and west, from north and south.[g]

Some wandered in desert(KI) wastelands,
    finding no way to a city(KJ) where they could settle.
They were hungry(KK) and thirsty,(KL)
    and their lives ebbed away.
Then they cried out(KM) to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way(KN)
    to a city(KO) where they could settle.
Let them give thanks(KP) to the Lord for his unfailing love(KQ)
    and his wonderful deeds(KR) for mankind,
for he satisfies(KS) the thirsty
    and fills the hungry with good things.(KT)

10 Some sat in darkness,(KU) in utter darkness,
    prisoners suffering(KV) in iron chains,(KW)
11 because they rebelled(KX) against God’s commands
    and despised(KY) the plans(KZ) of the Most High.
12 So he subjected them to bitter labor;
    they stumbled, and there was no one to help.(LA)
13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he saved them(LB) from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness,(LC) the utter darkness,(LD)
    and broke away their chains.(LE)
15 Let them give thanks(LF) to the Lord for his unfailing love(LG)
    and his wonderful deeds(LH) for mankind,
16 for he breaks down gates of bronze
    and cuts through bars of iron.

17 Some became fools(LI) through their rebellious ways(LJ)
    and suffered affliction(LK) because of their iniquities.
18 They loathed all food(LL)
    and drew near the gates of death.(LM)
19 Then they cried(LN) to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he saved them(LO) from their distress.
20 He sent out his word(LP) and healed them;(LQ)
    he rescued(LR) them from the grave.(LS)
21 Let them give thanks(LT) to the Lord for his unfailing love(LU)
    and his wonderful deeds(LV) for mankind.
22 Let them sacrifice thank offerings(LW)
    and tell of his works(LX) with songs of joy.(LY)

23 Some went out on the sea(LZ) in ships;(MA)
    they were merchants on the mighty waters.
24 They saw the works of the Lord,(MB)
    his wonderful deeds in the deep.
25 For he spoke(MC) and stirred up a tempest(MD)
    that lifted high the waves.(ME)
26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
    in their peril(MF) their courage melted(MG) away.
27 They reeled(MH) and staggered like drunkards;
    they were at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cried(MI) out to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he brought them out of their distress.(MJ)
29 He stilled the storm(MK) to a whisper;
    the waves(ML) of the sea[h] were hushed.(MM)
30 They were glad when it grew calm,
    and he guided them(MN) to their desired haven.
31 Let them give thanks(MO) to the Lord for his unfailing love(MP)
    and his wonderful deeds(MQ) for mankind.
32 Let them exalt(MR) him in the assembly(MS) of the people
    and praise him in the council of the elders.

33 He turned rivers into a desert,(MT)
    flowing springs(MU) into thirsty ground,
34 and fruitful land into a salt waste,(MV)
    because of the wickedness of those who lived there.
35 He turned the desert into pools of water(MW)
    and the parched ground into flowing springs;(MX)
36 there he brought the hungry to live,
    and they founded a city where they could settle.
37 They sowed fields and planted vineyards(MY)
    that yielded a fruitful harvest;
38 he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,(MZ)
    and he did not let their herds diminish.(NA)

39 Then their numbers decreased,(NB) and they were humbled(NC)
    by oppression, calamity and sorrow;
40 he who pours contempt on nobles(ND)
    made them wander in a trackless waste.(NE)
41 But he lifted the needy(NF) out of their affliction
    and increased their families like flocks.(NG)
42 The upright see and rejoice,(NH)
    but all the wicked shut their mouths.(NI)

43 Let the one who is wise(NJ) heed these things
    and ponder the loving deeds(NK) of the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 104:4 Or angels
  2. Psalm 104:35 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; in the Septuagint this line stands at the beginning of Psalm 105.
  3. Psalm 105:45 Hebrew Hallelu Yah
  4. Psalm 106:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 48
  5. Psalm 106:7 Or the Sea of Reeds; also in verses 9 and 22
  6. Psalm 106:33 Or against his spirit, / and rash words came from his lips
  7. Psalm 107:3 Hebrew north and the sea
  8. Psalm 107:29 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text / their waves